February | 2020 | nordiska knivar

By Anssi Ruusuvuori

Kokemäki puukko is a simple and graceful puukko model without any fittings. One of its most typical features is the end (butt) of the handle which is often, but not always, beveled slightly from both sides. The black or brown colored sheath is equally simple and elegant without excessive decorations. The typical decoration of the sheath consists of simple impressed lines following the edges of last and the sheath mouth, with diagonal lines drawn on last ”shoulders”. The blade was often made from an old file and the tang was left shorter than the handle. In an 1962 article by Eino Kauppi it is told that Kokemäki puukko was also called as ”Satakunta puukko” and that it was made in three sizes.

Not much is known about the birth history of Kokemäki puukko. It was manufactured at least already in the beginning of 20th century – possibly already during the 19th century – and the making of it continued in Kokemäki all the way until the 1980s. According to an article by Vesa Toivonen (Puukkoposti 1/2007) for which he interviewed a local collector Seppo Marjanen, the most important and only professional maker of Kokemäki puukko was Aksel(i) Ekman (1883 – 1950), originally a master shoemaker. There is a mention in the books of Iisakki Järvenpää factory of a certain Akseli Ekman working in the factory for some time. It is not known if he was the same person as ”the shoemaker Ekman” or just his namesake, but it would seem more plausible that they actually were the same person, which suggests that Ekman might have learned some of his puukko making skills working for Järvenpää.

Some of the part time makers of the model were: Viljo Kallionpää (1896 – 1965), Ilmari Kuula (1903 – 1983), Aarne Kuula (1911 – 1985) and Heikki Marjanen (1918 – 1989). Two local inhabitants Mikko Karen (born1930) and Erkki Tähtinen have also made Kokemäki puukko as a hobby until recent years. The most noted of today’s Kokemäki puukko makers are puukko smiths Pekka Tuominen and Mikko Inkeroinen. The first picture shows a Kokemäki puukko from the collection of National Museum of Finland, made by Ilmari Kuula around 1940 – 1950 after a model by Akseli Ekman. The next picture shows three Kokemäki puukko made by Akseli Ekman himself.